The Last Days Of Autumn - mini-album review by Bert Strolenberg.
Michael Meara’s "The last days of autumn" is an ep of 25 minutes, containing one uninterrupted free form ambient track. The album starts out with warm string textures, which is soon accompanied by nice violin, soft piano and flute. It’s a slow moving piece with a reflective, melancholic impact, of which the overall sound can do with a bit more work (as there are some rough edges here and there). Nevertheless, this atmospheric recording should appeal to fans of the older music of Darshan Ambient and Altus. Nicely done Michael!
Abstractus Somnarium: Deep Space Meditations - album review by Bert Strolenberg.
A while back, my attention was drawn by a tip of one of the members of EmPortal to this Australian ambient musician I hadn’t heard of. Well, the musician’s website told me Michael Meara put out around 15 self-released cd-r albums next to having contributed single tracks to various concept compilations/samplers. The albums subtitle title actually says it all, as “Abstractus Somnarium” contains six relaxing and well composed space floaters to make your mind settle take a rest or make it wander. Next to soft freeform textures there are also some sonic additions of twinkling piano, violin, and guitar, all sculptured in a delicate, refined form of cosmic music. Mr Meara shows a lot of potential, so those who love the space music of Roach should certainly not dwell & check out this wonderful music. Keep an eye on this guy!
Abstractus Somnarium: Deep Space Meditations - album review by Gary Andrews.
Michael Meara is a musician based in Brisbane Australia. Looking on his website www.sonicjourney.com it is evident that Michael is a prolific purveyor of electronic music
in the classic ambient genre, with fifteen albums under his belt and more projects on the way.
Although the albums are self-released on recordable compact disc, it is evident that the musicianship and quality of the music is of a professional standard and a labour of love.
The Abstractus album with its Meditations title and spacey cover conjures up images of a serene space music before the album even hits the CD player..With titles like Dark Nebulae
and The Decline Of Nova Persei the music entices the listener to venture inside ones own psyche but could just as well be used as a useful tool for relaxation or as a background music
to work or a creative use such as writing. Michael has produced an album of classic space music that should have its own niche in the electronic music world that is in equal stature to artists like Steve Roach or the more cosmic side of Klaus Schulze, its that good.
Ephemeron Night Pulse - album review by Paul Rijkens
On this CD-R, Michael Meara produces a form of ambient where people like Harold Budd and Brian Eno seem to have an influence. Thus, there are a lot of eerie and treated piano touches that are stretched out, accompanied by soft synthesizer sounds. For instance, in "Endless Drift" these sound quite nice. Also, "Sirens Of The Sea" and "Late Narcotic Phase" are fine. The last track has some traces of the music of Michael Neil.
Highlighted Demo
Beatless ambience that's finished to an extremely high standard and would effortlessly slot onto some chillout compilation somewhere. Very nice indeed. Keep it up.
Lush, beatless soundscapes are the order of the day here, and very well done they are too. You know the score... swathes of transforming pads gliding over one another to create some truly rich melodies. And what made it stand out from the pack? A very well polished production, ultimately.
We get a lot of Eno-esque soundscape tracks, but this is one of the better ones. Obviously it's not going to be to everyone's taste but you've built up a lovely atmosphere in a clean bright mix. Maybe fill it out with a few more sections as it's rather sparse in places?
A heavily reverbed doom laden backing track, with a mix that includes atmospheric synths and slide guitar, serves as a backdrop for Michael's equally doom laden 'Nick Cave with a sore throat' vocals on the first track. The second is a dense heavyweight instrumental with ambient lead guitar that builds into a right old cacophony that could very easily slot into a film soundtrack.
The Last Days Of Autumn
Refer to Sonic Immersion website.
Abstractus Somnarium: Deep Space Meditations
Refer to Sonic Immersion website.
From issue #32 of "Sequences" magazine.
Ephemeron Night Pulse
From "E-dition" magazine - Issue # 12 (April 2006).
Endless Drift
From "Future Music" magazine FM172 March 2006.
The Dark Wings Of Rusalka
From "Future Music" magazine FM170 January 2006.
Organic Fields
From "Future Music" magazine FM168 Winter 2005.
Crocodile
From "Future Music" magazine FM161 May 2005.
| home | releases | download | news | contact | links | comments |
